Summary
With Raphael’s departure for Heaven, the story no longer
consists of conversations between heavenly beings and humankind.
Milton explains that he must now turn to Adam and Eve’s actual act
of disobedience. The poem must now turn tragic, and Milton asserts
his intention to show that the fall of humankind is more heroic
than the tales of Virgil and Homer. He invokes Urania,
the “Celestial Patroness” (IX.21) and muse
of Christian inspiration, and asks for her to visit him in his sleep
and inspire his words, because he fears he is too old and lacks
the creative powers to accomplish the task himself. He hopes not
to get caught up in the description of unimportant items, as Virgil
and Homer did, and to remain focused on his ultimate and divine
task.
Satan returns to the Garden of Eden the night after Raphael’s departure.
Satan’s return comes eight days after he was caught and banished
by Gabriel. He sneaks in over the wall, avoiding Gabriel and the
other guards. After studying all the animals of the Garden, Satan
considers what disguise he should assume, and chooses to become
a snake. Before he can continue, however, he again hesitates—not
because of doubt this time, but because of his grief at not being
able to enjoy this wondrous new world. He struggles to control his
thoughts. He now believes that the Earth is more beautiful than
Heaven ever was, and becomes jealous of Adam and Eve and their chosen
status to occupy and maintain Paradise. He gripes that the excess
beauty of Earth causes him to feel more torment and anguish. Gathering
his thoughts into action, he finds a sleeping serpent and enters
its body.
The next morning, Adam and Eve prepare for their usual
morning labors. Realizing that they have much work to do, Eve suggests that
they work separately, so that they might get more work done. Adam
is not keen on this idea. He fears that they will be more susceptible
to Satan’s temptation if they are alone. Eve, however, is eager
to have her strength tested. After much resistance, Adam concedes,
as Eve promises Adam that she will return to their bower soon. They
go off to do their gardening independently.
Analysis
Milton begins Book IX as he began Books I and VII: with
an invocation and plea for guidance, as well as a comparison of
his task to that of the great Greek and Roman epics, the Iliad,
Odyssey, and the Aeneid. Milton explains
by way of this invocation that Adam and Eve’s fall is the major
event that occurs in Paradise Lost. Their fall
is the poem’s climax, even though it comes as no surprise. By describing
the fall as tragic, Milton conveys the gravity and seriousness of this
catastrophe for all of humankind, but he also situates Adam and Eve’s
story within the literary conventions of tragedy, in which a great
man falls because of a special flaw within his otherwise larger-than-life
character. The fall paves the way for humankind’s ultimate redemption
and salvation, and thus Milton can claim that his epic surpasses
Homer’s and Virgil’s because it pertains to the entire human race,
not one hero or even one nation.
Milton mocks the knightly romances of the Middle Ages
on the grounds that they applaud merely superficial heroism. The
idea of the chivalrous warrior was an oxymoron in Milton’s view.
Milton presents his hero as a morally powerful person—Adam’s strength and
martial prowess are entirely irrelevant. Milton voices doubts about
whether his society will appreciate a real Christian hero, or whether
he himself is still skilled enough or young enough to complete his
literary task, balancing his confidence in his own ability with
the humility appropriate to a Christian poet.
Satan’s return to the story presents him as a changed
and further degenerated character. Before the temptation of Eve,
we see Satan go through another bit of soul-searching. This time,
however, he does not waver in his determination to ruin humankind,
but only makes a cold expression of regret for things that might
have been. Milton notes that Satan is driven to action by the grief
and turmoil he feels inside and by his wounded sense of pride. It
is clear now that Satan’s decision to corrupt humankind is final,
yet he still thinks about how he would have enjoyed the beauty of
Earth if he had not rebelled. Milton displays the internal agony
that results from the sin of despair: Satan can clearly see, despite
all his previous arguments, that it would have been better to remain
good. However, he has forbidden himself from even considering the
possibility of repentance. As a result, he degenerates further and
further, making his mind and body his own personal Hell.
